Sunday, 6 October 2013

Miss Philippines is Miss World 2013

BALI, Indonesia—Miss Philippines, Megan Young, was crowned Miss World in a glittering finale on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Saturday.

“I promise to be the best Miss World ever,” Young, 23, said after winning the 63rd annual event, as a large number of Filipino fans who traveled with her celebrated by jumping and waving the country’s flag.

“Salamat sa mga kababayan ko. Mahal na mahal ko kayo (Thanks to my compatriots. I love you very much),” said the teary-eyed actress after she was crowned on Hindu-majority Bali at the end of a three-week contest.

Philippines’ first

Young, wearing a pearl white gown, bested 126 beauty queens from around the world to become the first Filipina to win the coveted title in a contest broadcast to more than 180 countries worldwide.

The 127 contestants vying for the crown were introduced Saturday wearing evening gowns shimmering in sequins, many of them with plunging necklines and slits up the leg. Four candidates dropped out earlier, mainly due to illnesses, said Syafril Nasution, one of the local organizers.

Young, who took the crown from Wenxia Yu of China, the 2012 winner, was born in the United States. When she was 10 she moved to the Philippines, where she has appeared in films and as a television host.

Core value of humanity

She thanked the judges for choosing her and pledged to “just be myself in everything I do, to share what I know and to educate people.”

To the question “Why should you be Miss World?” Young answered, “I treasure a core value of humanity and that guides people why they act the way they do. I will use this to show other people how they can understand each other … as one, we can help society.”

This is the first time the Philippines has won a Miss World title crown in the 63-year history of the London-based pageant.

The country has won the Miss Universe title twice, Miss International four times, Miss Earth once and Miss Supranational also once, this year.

The closest the Philippines came to win the Miss World title before were in 1973 with Evangeline Pascual and in 2011 with Gwendoline Ruais. Both finished first runner-up.

Interest in Asia

A total of 129 contestants had been due to compete in the final, but two pulled out at the last minute, according to organizers.

While the popularity of Miss World, first held in 1951, has waned in the West, continued interest in Asian countries ensures that the final rakes in a huge global television audience.

Venezuela has produced the most Miss Worlds, with six winners, while India and Britain claim five titles